The DIRECTV-Dish Sale: How Will It Affect U-verse Subs?

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow me on X.
Former editor of Satellite DIRECT magazine. Reported on DIRECTV for 30 years.

TV Answer Man, how will the DIRECTV and Dish deal affect U-verse subscribers? — Ashley, Toledo, Ohio.

Ashley, DIRECTV announced today that it was buying Dish’s satellite TV service, and Sling TV, the live streamer. This followed an earlier announcement today that AT&T would exit the DIRECTV business by selling its remaining 70 percent stake in the company to the private equity firm, TPG.

This has prompted a handful of U-verse subscribers to ask The TV Answer Man how the two sales will impact U-verse subscribers. It’s a logical question since AT&T’s infrastructure has been used to deliver U-verse service.

Well, there are three things to keep in mind here.

One, U-verse is owned by DIRECTV, not AT&T.

Two, it may be a year before the two deals officially close.

Three, DIRECTV today did not mention U-verse in its sale presentation to investors or its press announcement. That doesn’t mean U-verse isn’t part of its future. It means that if U-verse was being left out of the deal, it likely would have been reported today.

So, as of now, it’s business as usual for U-verse and its customers. However, it would not surprise me if U-verse closed its doors upon the completion of the AT&T/TPG sale. We don’t know how many subscribers it has now, but AT&T announced several years ago that it would no longer take new customers. So, it can’t be very many still on board. The trouble of continuing service after AT&T bails could supersede any benefit.

Ashley, hope that helps. The TV Answer Man will answer more question about the DIRECTV-Dish deal today. If you have a question, send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.

The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.